After taking some Tylenol, I felt a little better (sans the body aches) and wanted to go to Spring Street to buy some gifts for Miki's teachers. I have a new obsession with fresh products (I have yet to indulge in them, but I've purchased a ton of it for other people) and also stopped by this French bakery right next door to it. I've bought a number of their goodies and it'll propel you to dessert heaven. Although it isn't exactly Parisian grade, it's damn good enough that I can't associate it with Betty Crocker. I had every intention of getting their overpriced fudge brownies for Miki – I’ve accidentally left the brownie out in the open unwrapped and it was still moist from the inside. As I browsed towards the display, I spotted my favorite thing behind the counter: macarons.

For YEARS, I have been DYING to get my hands on these cookies - I had some at a Fido event and they were heavenly - but NEVER knew what the heck they were. In fact, I thought they were Italian cookies and searched high and low everywhere. No wonder I couldn’t find them - duh me...they're french.

I even found them in Wegman’s for (50 cents each) and blearghh, they were horrid knock-offs and not at all what I remembered them to be.

Macarons are two light, yet crisp, cookies stacked on top of each other with ganache or any filling in the middle. They are delicately crunchy and soft, made with egg whites and almond powder (Yum! My FAVORITE flavor). Heck, they resemble little mini-burgers, but they’re very cute and pleasing to the eye.

Just to show how saturated in the stupid American culture I am, I asked the girl what they were called – “Macaroons,” she replied. In my utter disbelief, macaroons? HAH?! Did I hear that right? The same ones made with coconuts bits? You mean these delightful cookies got coconut in them or something? Did this French girl with the heavy French accent pronounce it wrong? Macaroons? Are you certain!?

Since the whole box was for $30 (about 24 pieces), I couldn’t risk purchasing something I could potentially hate. I have been infamously known for not being able to finish sweets (I could never finish a large candy bar – not even those Cadbury bars I bought in the UK) and have always purchased smaller quantities not necessarily as a means of portion control. I simply never finish an entire box of cookies or a candy bar by any means.

However, I can clean off my dinner plate and anything Japanese. It amazes some people because when I was a kid, I used to polish off candy bars, cake, ice cream and soda like nothing.

So I purchased a small little bag of these macaroons – 3 pieces for $5. Yeowchie, because they’re only about 1½” wide. Even Jim, my beloved ex-boss, could pop all 3 pieces in his mouth like Tylenol.

Since I have been sick for days and deprived of normal food, I have been feasting on disgusting congee and crackers for days. As a result, it’s making me a bit hypoglycemic and I’m having sudden cravings for sweets. Due to this urge, I decided to have these little cookies and to brave any gastrointestinal consequences later, if there were any.

One bite sent me to heaven. I didn’t even want to share any with Mikayla, but my maternal instincts whupped me into giving in. She loved it and wanted more, so I shoved the brownie in her face so I could have the final piece. It distracted her long enough to forget the last macaroon or macaron, as the French would call it.

Since then, I've been having dreams about French macarons. My god, the only other two times I’ve ever went to bed thinking about a specific food item was when I first tried yellowtail sushi and Grandma’s beef ravioli at Pappoo’s.

Now I can’t wait to return to the bakery tomorrow, praying to the heavens above that the box of French macarons is still there. Or else…